Troy's South End Tavern to close at the end of the month

By Ian Benjamin

Friday, June 14, 2013

TROY - The South End Tavern, and its famous Ladies' Entrance, which are synonymous with the city's South, will be closing at month's end.

The bar and restaurant along Burden Avenue has been operated by the Burke family for nearly eight decades, but owner Marty "Butch" Burke is tired of seeing his profits dry up year after year due to increasing costs for insurance, taxes, utilities and product.

"I feel like I'm working for other people," said Burke. "Too many people have their hands in my pocket and when I reach in my pocket there's nothing there." The long time owner has been gradually increasing prices to try and keep pace, but rising costs have gradually cut into his profits. The last straw was when he opened his property reassessment last March.

"We were surviving, but the property tax kind of pushed me over the edge," he said. "All these taxes and then I saw that." After months of pondering the decision, three weeks ago Burke made chose to close his doors. "I was on the fence for so long, because it was such a difficult decision," said Burke. The tavern's last day will be June 30.

He would have preferred to keep his doors open another year, bringing the tavern to its eightieth anniversary. However, the tavern's liquor license, valid for two years, expires at the end of this month, and Burke did not want to commit to keeping the tavern open longer. "I'm at the point now where I don't think I'm making enough money for the aggravation," said Burke.

Burke, whose children are not interested in taking over the business, is preparing to sell the bar and restaurant, as well as the adjacent properties -- which include every building on the block. Depending on the buyer, the South End Tavern brand could live on. "If somebody wanted to use the the name, that wouldn't be a sticking point with me," said Burke.

Burke took over the tavern from his father in 1998, and is the third generation to run the Burden Avenue establishment since his grandfather, the original Marty Burke, first opened the tavern in 1934. His grandfather intended it as a place local workers could come to relax after days spent working in the nearby mills.

In an effort to drum up more business by encouraging female patrons, Burke's grandfather purchased the building adjacent to the bar and converted it into a restaurant. During the thirties, a bar was considered to be a male territory, so the now famous Ladies' Entrance was erected. The entrance was nearly removed at the height of the Women's Liberation movement in the seventies, but survived after the Troy City Council intervened. They passed a resolution declaring the tavern a historic site, the controversial sign was kept, and women were allowed in through the main bar entrance.

Over the years, the Burke family's St. Patrick's Day festivities have become well-known, and constitute the tavern's most profitable annual event. "If St. Patrick's Day was even four times a year, we wouldn't be having this discussion," noted Burke.

He is now looking forward to retirement, possibly working a part time job, and spending more time with his grandchild, who will soon be joined by another in August, and one more in September.

Burke emphasized the decision to close was not because of a lack of community support.

"There's a tremendous amount of memories here. It was an extremely difficult decision for me and that's why I wavered," said Burke. "I feel bad. I know there are a lot of people who have fond memories of this place."